2014/11/26

Bigger than bigger

I have two oversized portable typewriters, a blue Torpedo and a Made-in-Italy Rover. I bought them simply because they both have unusual font styles: non-serif for Torpedo and unusual Pica for Rover. However, the other thing in common for both machines is that they both have an unnecessarily big encasement to match their 13" carriage. As a result, underneath a large portion of the surface plastic, there's nothing at all! So an obvious question, why the designer is allowed to waste raw materials?
As I type on both machines, I find them flimsy. At some point, I thought the blue one was going to collapse. I typed some pages from my junior high school English book. I think you guys would be interested to know how English was taught in China during entire 1980s to early 1990s.

Torpedo, with non-serif font

Rover 7000, Made in Italy, with unusual Pica font

English coursebook for
junior high school students in China
from early 1980s to early 1990s

Nathan Hale, a patriotic piece

A portrait of Dr. Norman Bethune, a Canadian communist
serving as military physician for China's Communist Eighth Route Army.
He died of blood poisoning in 1939, second year into China's Resistance War against Japanese Aggression. Generations of Chinese were
required to memorize Chairman Mao's eulogy to him for his
selfless commitment to the Chinese people.
Statues in his honor can be found in most cities throughout China.